The median age for the onset of menopause in the United States is 51. 50-80% of perimenopausal women (i.e., women transitioning to menopause) and menopausal women experience hot flashes and night sweats.
A hot flash, sometimes called a hot flush, is a quick feeling of heat, sometimes accompanied by a red flushed face and sweating. The exact cause of hot flashes is not known, but it may be related to changes in thermoregulation and/or blood circulation. In particular, hot flashes can occur when the blood vessels nears the skin's surface dilate to cool. A woman may also sweat at such time in an attempt to cool the body. In some women this is accompanied by an increased heart rate or chills. Hot flashes that occur at night are called night sweats and can adversely affect sleep. Moreover, stress, caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, heat, cigarette smoke and tight clothing, among other things, are believed to trigger hot flashes. Importantly, hot flashes can occur randomly and unexpectedly, thus leading the sufferer to experience anxiety as a result of the uncertainty of if/when such event may occur.
Current treatments commonly prescribed for hot flashes include Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), low-dose anti-depressants, including Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Clonidine, a blood pressure medication, Gabapentin, an antiseizure drug, Brisdelle®, a paroxetine formula specifically for hot flashes, and Duavee®, a conjugated estrogen/bazedoxifene formal designed to treat hot flashes. However, the use of such drugs, such as SSRIs, can be associated with side effects. In addition, some women cannot or prefer not to take medication. Other homeopathic remedies, such as soy products, phytoestrogens and evening primrose oil, have also been suggested. However, their effectiveness is unproven and anecdotal at best.
Thus, there exists a need for an alternative product and treatment method to alleviate the adverse effects of hot flashes that do not present the drawbacks of the methods discussed above.